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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Nine Inch Nails - Right Where It Belongs

In May of 2003 Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor wrote lyrics that one youtuber called "lonely but alive." The lyrics formed a song, with gentle two note piano motifs and root-note octave jumps on a distorted synth. The song is called 'Right Where It Belong.'

Here is a video of the song:

Nine Inch Nails has produced 8 studio albums since their formation in 1988, while Reznor has been called one of the musical geniuses of our time. He described himself in a Rollingstone interview as "a snarling guy sweating on the mic," but in this song, the snarls turn to an existential loneliness.

The song begins with the before-mentioned motifs and a phaser in the background, almost an industrial breathe. Reznor's voice sounds faded, almost hidden behind a radio. The lyrics depict an animal at the zoo, questioning, "Are you sure what side of the glass you are on?" Imagine Reznor, on stage, sulking over piano keys, staring out at the huge audience. He is that animal. He is unsure of which side of the glass he is on.

And then, around 3:10 into the song, the bass notes become clearer. Reznor asks, "Are you hiding in the trees?" He voice steps out in front. You can imagine the lights on stage turn bright. The audience jeers and screams.

"What if everything around you isn't quite as it seems?
What is all the world you used to know is an elaborate dream?"

With the audience surrounding him, onstage or off, Reznor digs into emotions that most of us have pondered. Enjoy.